A Youthful Indiscretion

A Very English Mystery #1.5

by Elizabeth Edmondson

A Youthful Indiscretion A Novella

From the bestselling author of A Man of Some Repute comes a story of intrigue and deceit, as a love affair from the past reaches out to touch the present.

1953, and Freya Wryton is determined to discover the truth of murdered Lord Selchester’s youthful passion for the mysterious Marie Louise.

Her family and his colleagues want her late uncle’s secrets to go to the grave with him, but intelligence officer Hugo Hawksworth is as curious as Freya about what happened between Lord Selchester and Marie Louise in that golden Oxford summer before the first world war.

The stakes are high, since Marie Louise’s life and death hold the key to the great Selchester inheritance: fortune, castle and title.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Cozy, Cozy Mystery

72 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2015

About the author

Born in Chile, and educated in Calcutta and London before going to Oxford University, Elizabeth Edmondson divided her time between the countryside north of Rome and the spires of Oxford. She was married to an art historian and had two children.

In Edmondson's words: "I write historical mysteries about love, marriage families and friendship, where the loyalties, feuds, secrets and betrayals of the past cast long shadows. I’m fascinated by characters who are quirky, mysterious, funny, unexpected and interesting and I want readers to share, as I do, in their joys and sorrows.

"My books are set in the Thirties, Forties and Fifties, at home and abroad. With dramatic and glamorous settings from icy lakes to Italian villas, from wintry Budapest to fashionable France, the landscapes are as powerful as the stories are complex. The tense realities of life mingle with supernatural elements : ghosts, prophetic dreams and voices from the past, but fun and humour also dance in and out of the light and darkness of the stories.

"My aim is to enthrall, delight and amuse readers as they are transported to a different era."

Reviews

[Les · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you read A Man of Some Repute - you should read this before you read A Question of Inheritance. Although it should be an epilogue after the former or an introduction to the latter and not a stand alone novella.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Elizabeth Edmondson’s series featuring with the shadowy but scrupulous British government agent Hugo Hawksworth and the headstrong Lady Freya Wryton always proves delightful. A Youthful Indiscretion: A Novella takes place in between the first novel in the series, A Man of Some Repute, and its sequel, A Question of Inheritance. I’m certain that if I had read the books in order, I would have loved A Youthful Indiscretion, which, like the other books, ends with a cliff hanger. Unfortunately, I read the two novels first, and knowing what was coming put a damper on the read, which was still fun, but not as delightful as it otherwise would have been.

Set in 1953, Freya — with help from Hugo and his Oxford don uncle, Father Leo Hawksworth — investigate the mysterious Mary Louise who hints of a marriage to the old earl, Lord Selchester, in a letter dating before the Great War. Who was this woman? And what does it mean to Selchester’s subsequent marriage?

Edmondson’s series is definitely one to read in order. So, if you haven’t yet proceeded to A Question of Inheritance, by all means, read this novella. But if you have, you can safely skip it without missing a thing.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started to read book two in the A Very English Mystery series and realized it had jumped ahead in the story line. It made me wonder if I'd missed something. Sure enough there was this short tweeny story covering Freya and Hugo's investigation of a mysterious letter that turned up and had the potential to upset the family apple cart.

Freya won't be turned off her investigation into her uncle's past during an idyllic summer in Oxford and Hugo acts as her support. It's a quick story, but I enjoyed getting right back into the world of the series with all the familiar characters and a new on, Harriet, whom I can't wait to see turn up in the next books in the series.

It's very much a bridge story and won't standalone. As to the necessity of reading it? A person could get away with going from book one to book two as the contents of this story are given in summary. Personally, I was glad to get it expanded though it did end before the gap was completely spanned between the two books.

[Isabel Keats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una novela corta que sirve de puente entre las anteriores. Muy bien también.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is part of the author's 'A Very English Mystery' series and follows on from the novel 'A Man of Some Repute'. Freya is puzzled by a letter to her late Uncle which was found in a Missal and which appears to be from a young woman he could have married when he was at Oxford. She asks her Aunt if it was true he married someone before her married her Aunt Hermione. Her speculations are dismissed but her curiosity is aroused especially when several people warn her against taking the matter further.

I enjoyed reading this novella and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series 'A Question of Inheritance' which at the time of writing is due to be published shortly. I like Hugo and his intelligent and observant sister, Georgia as well as Freya herself. This novella could be read on its own without reading the books which fall either side of it in the series as it makes an interesting story in its own right. The nineteen fifties background is well done and brings the era to life. This novella is an entertaining short read.

[Vivienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly Lacking

What a disappointment to read this after reading 'A Man of Some Repute'. It isn't a novella, it is an unfinished manuscript, and a poorly edited one. I was so looking forward to reading this, and I suppose it could be considered a 'bridge' between the two novels, but it actually hasn't added anything to the main story that I hadn't already thought of. I am sorry if this is a bit harsh but I do think the author could have done herself a favour and left this one out. All the main characters appear, with Freya being foremost, but a few new characters are introduced and I will be interested to see if any of them appear in the second book.

[Terri Barnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of A Very English Mystery series by Elizabeth Edmondson. It includes A Man of Some Repute, A Youthful Indiscretion (a novella), A Question of Inheritance, and A Matter of Loyalty. The author died before finishing the final book, which was completed by her son, Anselm Audley, in a pretty seamless transition. I listened to the audible version of each and enjoyed them as light reading. I would recommend the series to mid-century British mystery lovers but with a caveat that they don't feel quite polished. They feel like books that are almost finished and would have been really terrific with more diligent editing and rewriting. The characters, settings, plots, and subplots were promising, combining country-house murder with some WWII and Cold War intrigue, but they fall just short of that promise. As it is, there are various points--from minor dialog to essential plot elements--that don't quite add up. Having said all that, I did read the whole series, so ... These stories have a spark and atmosphere that certainly drew me in. I wanted to stay by the hearth in the library of Selchester Castle, unraveling mysteries with Hugo, Freya, Georgia, and friends.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is the prequel to book #2 - A Question of Inheritance.

Not all secrets from the past stay buried!

From the end of book #1- A Man of Some Repute. Freya and Hugo's discovered a letter from a mysterious Mary Louise to the late Lord Selchester, stating "My Dearest Husband".

Had Lord Selchester married this Mary (Marie) Louise? And if so, was it legal? Was his marriage to Freya's aunt bigamous? And will this put a stop to Lady Sonia being able to sell the castle to a Swiss Hotel Consortium?

Freya gets warnings from the family and others, to drop it. But Freya is fighting with her conscience, and just can't let 'sleeping dogs lie'.

This series has to be read in order, to get the full effect. This is the prequel to book 2, and it adds background to the next book. But is only available in ebook/kindle, so can be missed out, without spoiling the effect of the next book - A Question of Inheritance.

Really enjoying this series. With a good set of characters, in a well crafted and written mystery.

Looking forward to reading more of this series.

If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have read, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres...... like, comment and follow.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Youthful Indiscretion" is a novella set between the first two books of Edmondson's "Very English Murder" series. While story is short, it covers a lot of ground and definitely should be read in order, as it impacts the storyline. Freya Wryton wants the truth behind a letter written to her dead uncle. Who was the author and why was she so important to him? Several members of her family warn her off. No good comes from digging up the past. But she's charges forward, bringing Hugo Hawksworth along on her research trip to Oxford. What she learns changes what she thinks she knows of her ruthless dead uncle and the future of the Selchesters.

Everyone is worried about Lady Sonia's plans to sell the old Selchester Castle and grumpy about showing it to hotel developers. Hugo is busy researching a scientist that might have leaked atomic secrets to the Russians. It's very Cold War Britain with an odd Catholic flavor.

[Gary Holt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This rest of the Very English Mystery series was fantastic, but this just wasn't. Has no plot, no real conflict, no real mystery, no climax, and an utterly predictable conclusion. If you're reading the Very English Mystery series, which I highly recommend, you should read #1, then #2, and skip #1.5 (this book). You won't miss anything.

If you (like me) like the characters in the Very English Mystery series, then maybe you want to read this book, just to visit them again. But honestly, they don't do much very interesting here, and it feels contrived (more contrived than the full-length novels).

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lord Selchester’s murder has been solved and now his daughter Lady Sonia is set to inherit everything. Her plan is to sell the castle to a Swiss consortium for development into a hotel and golf course. The consortium also plans to take over the leaseholds in the village for development. The villagers expect Selchester’s cousin Freya to stop Lady Sonia, but what can she do? This author has quite a gift for bringing her characters to life but the novella has only a slight bit of resolution, so don’t read unless you plan on continuing with “A Question of Inheritance.”

[Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read the four books in the series: A Man of Some Repute, A Youthful Indiscretion, A Question of Inheritance, A Matter of Loyalty (written with Anselm Audley).

The series was excellent. I was engaged in each of the stories that I found to be unique, despite the works being a series. The protagonist was interesting and engaging. Each of the story lines held my interest through to the end. Sadly, the author has passed away and the series has come to an end. However, Elizabeth Edmondson was a prolific author so I am excited about reading her other series.

[Hilary (A Wytch's Book Review) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Novella links the first two books nicely together, at the end of A Man of Some Repute a letter had been found from a Mary Louise (otherwise known at Marie Louise as she was French), the letter seems to be plaintive and Freya wants to find out more about the lady who wrote it.  What she and Hugo find out will have a rather nasty surprise for Freya's cousin Sonja and will shake the family out of the doldrums! 

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story entry in the series . . . provides some back story -- or rather, 'in between' story -- to explain what happened between the end of the first book and the beginning of the second. There's no real 'mystery', just a brief investigation into an old letter that had been found and what it ultimately means. I suspect the 2nd book can be enjoyed without having read this.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bittersweet little novella, I had already read all the books in this series and even though I knew there would be no more for this series or from this author I couldn't resist another glimpse into this world. Love it and was so happy to see these characters again, they will be missed.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. It was ok but seemed unnecessary to the series. Not only does it leave a cliffhanger, most of the details in this novella were explained in the first few chapters of the next book in the series so it didn’t add much to the story, in my opinion.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story felt as if it had been written by someone else after the charming characters in the 3 other books about Selchester. I know it’s not part of the Trilogy but it explains certain things which happened in the Trilogy. There was no warmth in this one. What a shame.

[Sara Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is basically the story in between books 1 and 2 in the series. It's really short and not at all required, but nice none the less.

[Sharron Illing · Rating 4 out of 5]

The missing link

This is a strange book .It tells the story that links book 1 and 2 in A Very English Mystery series.
So pleased I found it as now book 2 makes sense

[Allison Henle · Rating 2 out of 5]

A weirdly incomplete, off-tone novella to "fix up" the disconnect between the end of the first novel and the beginning of the second.

[Roo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brief but interesting

[Eva-Lynne Leibman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mystery meets history

A good read, packed with vivid characters and mystery. Even the horse is a powerful personality. Ms Edmondson excels at her craft, and leaves us wanting more.

[mary west · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a tease

This goes best between the first and second novel. There’s just enough information to give you the basic information as the second novel is introduced.

[Sarahanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK - that filled in some missing pieces (although a 1.75 novella would bridge a fairly large gap...hence the 4 stars)

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book set in 1953 which continues the Selchester saga

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fills in a useful gap between books one and two of the series.

[Barbara K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novella, a brief in-between story in the series, best read between the first book in the series, A Man of Some Repute and the second in the series, A Question of Inheritance. It explains how the second book's story comes to be.

On my 2026 reading I realize how badly edited/proofread this is. It reads almost like a first draft. But I still love the story, and it's an important and entertaining insertion into the series, and provides just that bit of mystery and scandal, and of course information, necessary to get us from the first full-length novel to the second full-length novel in the series. It may seem to end abruptly, and you will definitely want to have the next book handy to begin reading.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't care for the title of this book, it gives the impression of a cheap, racy romance novel, which is not at all the case. This is a super short novella that spans be space between A Man of Some Repute and A Question of Inheritance, two historical mysteries. I enjoyed A Man of Some Repute very much, and am looking forward to reading "A Question of Inheritance, which is why I read this little book. But I felt that the quality of the writing was nothing like A Man of Some Repute. The story and the writing style felt hurried and rushed, and there were typographical, grammatical, and punctuation errors.

[Voirrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

AAARGH! This actually fits in between the two novels featuring Hugo and Freya and begins to explain the opening chapters of 'A Question of Inheritance' - but it stops almost in mid-chapter!

As I know that, sadly, the author died I would have presumed that this is a fragment that was not completed but published anyway - except that it so clearly fits between the other two.

It really asks more questions than it answers, I feel.

My advice would be that if you are likely to be frustrated to find yourself wondering where the next page is when you reach "...and I'll tell you what Mr Vereker said", don't begin this.

[Nick Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading any of these Selchester novels instantly draws one in and absorbs one in time, place and characters. This might only be a short novel, or novella if you will, but once again reading it is a completely immersive experience. There are plenty of novels set during the second world war and plenty set in the 1960s but the 1950s, when this is set seems a relatively un-mined territory yet with the war still looming like a shadow from the recent past and the emotional scarring of those who went through it still very real it is a very rich vein indeed.

Looking forward to the next one.